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13-Mar-2004 -- My friends and I noted that there was a confluence in Sonora, Mexico, that could be reached from Tucson, Arizona, in a weekend. My brother, Gregario, and I left from Agua Prieta,Mexico, and met Tom Morisky and Roberto from Tucson, in Naco, Sonora, at around 8 am. that morning.

South of the border about 30 miles we were pleasantly surprised to find a gate keeper manning the gate on the road leading off the highway we thought would take us in the right direction. He opened the gate promising to return around four to collect his fee. After several wrong turns, we climbed into the Ajo Mountains along a fairly good road that headed in the general direction we needed to go. We came to another locked gate in the middle of nowhere. Fortunately, again, a cowboy, Omar, rode over and, after we explained our intentions, graciously let us in.

About three miles up the road we were stopped by another gate and had to leave our trucks. We continued up the road and, after about an hour, with the rain clouds rolling in, a truck appeared behind us (fortunatly) with a couple of park rangers. We talked and they gave us a ride until we estimated we were close to our point. The rain was coming down now but we struck out cross country down the slope until we located the confluence. Along the way we luckily found a couple of plastic bags to help keep off the rain.

At the confluence, our GPS proved to be very difficult to catch the exact intersection as it came and went repeatedly. The accuracy was rated at 15 meters and with the weather as it was, we settled for a very close notation.

Hiking out down the canyon was beautiful and we met 'Chanate' from nearby Zaragosa, who invited us back to his house for dinner. We spent several hours talking, eating carne seca, chiles, and drinking cervezas (beer)with him and his friends. Perfect!